Kids in America Are Better Off

Nice to read some positive news.

clipped from health.usnews.com Life for kids is getting better in the United States in many ways, with fewer sixth graders fearing for their safety at school, more preschoolers getting immunizations, and the number of small children with elevated levels of lead dropping by 84 percent in the past 10 years. The new data, from the nonprofit Foundation for Child Development, track changes in the lives of children from 1994 to 2006. In that time, the death rates for kids under age 5 declined by one third, and more parents were reading to their kids. Children are also doing better in school, with performance on standardized tests improving for 9-to-12-year-olds. U.S. News offers advice on setting limits on kids' television time and how to teach healthful eating habits at home.